It is well known that fecal material is often difficult to remove from the skin of the user, in particular on sensitive skin such as by young babies and the skin around the genitals. Moreover, it is well known that fecal material on the skin can cause irritation and redness of the skin and some times even dermatitis of the skin.
One of the solutions to reduce the fecal material on the skin is to provide a means to isolate the fecal material immediately after discharge, away from the skin. The problem with feces isolation in diapers is that the feces can vary hugely in consistency and viscosity and furthermore that, whilst isolating the feces, the diaper needs to retain its urine absorption capacity.
Hereto, diapers have been suggested with a topsheet with one or more large openings, through which the feces can pass to a void space between the topsheet and the absorbent core. The fecal material is then stored underneath this topsheet, away from the skin.
As alternative, a diaper with a first topsheet with a multitude of small openings has been proposed, allowing low viscosity feces to pass through said openings onto the absorbent core, such that it may be isolated underneath said topsheet and such that the absorbent core may dewater the feces, such as for example described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,338. Optionally, a second topsheet with openings may be present, which further allows immobilization of the feces and dewatering of the feces by the absorbent core underneath.
Also various other feces management element that comprise high loft or loop materials have been proposed.
Disclosed herein is an improved way to provide i) feces isolation and immobilization, ii) reduced re-soiling of the skin by the immobilized feces and iii) good liquid acquisition at the same time. This is achieved by providing an absorbent article, e.g. diaper, comprising a sublayer that includes at least two acquisition layers and combined holes or indentations in or through both of the acquisition layers. The sublayer, by way of the combined holes, being capable of receiving, storing and immobilizing feces, and simultaneously acquiring liquid (e.g., urine).
Furthermore, it is beneficial that the holes or indentations in the first acquisition layer are smaller in cross-section surface area (in the plane of the sublayer) than the holes in or through the second layer, to provide improved feces entrapment and/or to provide a reduced risk that the material of the second acquisition layer (e.g. unbonded or partially bonded fibers) or the material of the absorbent core underneath may come in contact with the skin of the user. Thus, a more comfortable diaper with a sublayer is obtained that provides a better feces immobilization whilst still allowing excellent liquid acquisition.